A Traitor in the Keep
by dominicgrim
Summary: In answer to a challenge made by Annonimous4862, Viscount Garrett Hawke deals with the man who let his sister Bethany die.


This short story is in response to a challenge made to me, a little dark for my usual tastes, but let's give it a whirl anyway. ENJOY!

For Annonimous4862

**A TRAITOR IN THE KEEP**

Garrett Hawke, the Viscount of Kirkwall, had been left to decide the fate of a traitor. The man met the Champions eyes with an icy unrepentant glare. It was clear that the man felt no remorse for his actions.

Or at least…he chose to show no remorse.

Hawke sneered at the man's indifference, the man returned it, if the Viscount was trying to intimidate him, it would not work.

Part of him wished that he could confer with his friends on this, that he could ask their advice, but that was no longer a possibility. Isabela had left, just got on her new ship and fled, Hawke had loved the pirate, but in the end he could not hold onto her, the lure of the sea was just too strong. Anders was dead, slain by Hawke's own hand; he wished he could have dealt with the traitor as easily. Aveline had washed her hand of him. Sebastian was still here, but spent all his time with the Chantry survivors. He felt that would be what Elthina would have wanted. Merrill had fled; the destruction of her entire clan had sent the Dalish fleeing Kirkwall. Fenris had left as well, in pursuit of his sister, it was strange, if not for the traitors actions the elf may have stayed angry at his sister forever.

Varric was still around, but he and Hawke talked only a little, The Viscount had no desire to hear about the great Garrett Hawke any longer.

What good was a Champion when he could not save those dearest to him.

Hawke sighed heavily.

Bethany.

His family was together now, Mother, Father, and the twins, reunited in death. Sometimes Garrett dreamed of them, watching him from across the veil, and in his heart…in his soul he knew.

He would never see them again.

Garrett cursed this was all the traitors fault!

The man had stood by and let Hawke's beloved sister Bethany die.

"The Knight-Commander had made a decision," the traitor reminded him, "The circle was annulled, it could only end when the mages were dead…all of the mages."

"She was my sister." Garrett roared back.

The traitor gave him a sad look, "Better dead than tranquil."

There was truth in those words.

Garrett's thought turned to Bethany, the sweet little girl who was always there with a kind word and a healing touch. He saw her as she had grown through the years. Bethany grew up in seconds in his mind's eye, from a scared little girl, to a nervous teenager, and finally a skilled woman, a woman confident in her abilities as a mage.

Abilities that had failed his sister, they had not saved her in the end.

Garrett could still see it, Bethany surrounded by Templars. The thing that had once been the First Enchanter dead at her feet, Bethany had shrieked at the Knight-Commander declaring this all her fault.

Meredith was unmoved.

The traitor could have helped her, but he stood by and did nothing.

Bethany looked into his eyes, fear, anger, and resentment shown where only love once dwelled.

"I hope you find what you are…urk!"

Meredith's blade stopped Bethany mid-sentence, it tore through her back and out the front. She collapsed as the Templar withdrew the blade.

Bethany was dead.

The annulment was complete.

The traitor had followed the Knight-Commander into the hall.

Now he stood before Garrett in judgment.

What to do with the man?

Death was too good for him. Prison? Impossible, the people viewed him as a hero.

Exile?

Yes exile would do nicely; the traitor would be banished tonight, far from Kirkwall, far from the people he might hurt.

The sentence pleased the Viscount.

He would leave tonight, only the clothes on his back; he would be banished to the darkest corner of Thedas.

It was what the man deserved.

The traitor nodded, he understood and accepted the sentence.

Garrett turned to leave; there was much to do before the traitor was sent away.

The Viscount was weary, but grateful to finally have dealt with this matter.

It was all over now.

The last of Bethany's killers had been punished.

Garrett returned to his chambers, he had preparations to make, letters to write, informing city leaders of his decision.

It was never easy dealing with a traitor.

Especially when he stares back at you from a mirror.

Garrett Hawke, The Viscount of Kirkwall, the traitor to his own family, left the Viscount's Keep that night.

Left it for the last time.

_**FIN**_


End file.
